Charlotte Gainsbourg

Charlotte Gainsbourg is a fashion icon who seems to have done nothing to become one. With her innate sense of style, the daughter of the artists Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin certainly does not go unnoticed. Rather, beyond the Alps she is loved by all – this actress and singer is already a part of French cultural heritage. Her image evades all stereotypes thanks to her lofty demeanour and her threadlike silhouette. And with her natural fascination, Charlotte embodies cool-smart-chic Parisian elegance – she is understated because of her informality and practicality; intellectual for the roles she interprets; sophisticated because she is delicate and slender. And if this forty-three year-old chooses simplicity by day, by night, on the red carpet, she cannot be influenced.

On the contrary, she inspires and dares. Frequently a testimonial or muse of stylists, she has long been a source of inspiration for la maison Gerard Darel and has posed for the camera of Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel. In 2011 Nicolas Ghesquière created the fragrance L’Essence by Balenciaga for her; Annie Leibovitz, on the other hand, recently immortalized her for Louis Vuitton. Charlotte has also just designed a collection for Current/Elliott. “A very exciting first time,” she proclaims, with a seductive smile and infantile grace. “I especially liked the idea of doing jeans – I am a big fan of them.” Beyond these beloved garments, her wardrobe would not be complete without trench coats. Hers is a timeless allure, classic, in which her feminine and masculine sides mix. When she gets on stage, seen from a distance she resembles Patti Smith, with that almost ascetic physique and minimalist, almost juvenile look.

“In the mind of the public, I am a “gamine” (young girl, editor’s note), probably because I began working as a teenager,” the artist affirms, having debuted on the big screen in 1984 in “Paroles et musique” [“Love Songs”], the film by Élie Chouraqui. Gainsbourg, who won the Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Award for her role in Antichrist (2009) by Lars von Trier, has appeared in over forty films to date. The most recent are “Nymphomaniac” – by the same Danish director – and “Misunderstood” by Asia Argento. “Considering that my career began almost by chance, I have felt like an amateur for a long time,” admits Charlotte. “I never took any classes; I never went to school for theatre. So, I felt as though I usurped the title of actress. Later, working with a coach, I gained confidence. Now I know for sure that this is my profession.”